Longshots Up Front Cruiser and Lullaby Til Dawn flashed across the wire ahead of 1-9 favourite Rub Thing in the $20,000 Ohio Breeders Stake for freshman pacing fillies at Scioto Downs on Thursday night
, creating an exacta payoff of $598.60.
Driver Dan Noble shot the 40-1 Lullaby Til Dawn at the start of the race. When driver Chris Page challenged with the favourite in past the half-mile marker, Lullaby Till Dawn refused to yield. That set up a perfect trip for the 25-1 shot Up Front Cruiser, who got up for driver David Myers to win in 1:56.2.
The winner is a daughter of Yankee Cruiser trained by Jim Arledge and owned by Ed Mullinax. It was her second win in five starts in her career and lifted her earnings to $22,860.
Freshman trotting fillies were led across the wire by the unbeaten Jesses Messenger, now a winner in each of her four career starts. The Kent Sherman-trained filly won for driver Ryan Stahl and owner Daryl Sherman in 2:00.4 by 5-3/4 lengths over Photo Spur and Floris Future.
Jesses Messenger was parked out for the first quarter, but once she took control of the race, the decision was never in doubt. The Jailhouse Jesse filly has banked $46,450 this season.
Rose Run Keepsake was the queen of the sophomore filly trotters as she rambled to a 7-3/4 length win in 1:56, a new lifetime mark for the daughter of Armbro Laser. Driver Dan Noble shot her to the front in the opening half and she bid adieu to her pursuers. Tom Blankenship trains the filly for Ronald Bates of Amanda, Ohio.
Mocha Jo was second while Striking Lauren got up for third money.
(Scioto Downs)